User interface for character entry using a minimum number of selection keys
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of character entry through a user'"'"'s sequential selection of characters, from a collection of characters, depicted on a display, comprising:
- a. dividing the characters of a collection of characters into a plurality of smaller, like-sized groups;
b. providing at least one display window on a display screen;
c. providing an action key for user selection of at least one of the plurality of smaller, like-sized groups of characters;
d. selecting the action key to specify one of the plurality of smaller, like-sized groups of characters for display;
e. displaying at least one of the characters in a specified character group in the display window;
f. providing at least one selection button for at least one of the characters displayed;
g. selecting a character from the characters displayed; and
h. entering the selected character as input;
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Abstract
The present invention is a method and apparatus for entry of alphanumeric characters or symbols, employing fewer, data entry keys than the number of characters to be selected from. In particular the invention “multiplexes” a given display area to control the display of specific character groupings and to facilitate user selection and entry or editing of characters.
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Citations
63 Claims
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1. A method of character entry through a user'"'"'s sequential selection of characters, from a collection of characters, depicted on a display, comprising:
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a. dividing the characters of a collection of characters into a plurality of smaller, like-sized groups;
b. providing at least one display window on a display screen;
c. providing an action key for user selection of at least one of the plurality of smaller, like-sized groups of characters;
d. selecting the action key to specify one of the plurality of smaller, like-sized groups of characters for display;
e. displaying at least one of the characters in a specified character group in the display window;
f. providing at least one selection button for at least one of the characters displayed;
g. selecting a character from the characters displayed; and
h. entering the selected character as input;
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A user operable system for the selection of characters utilizing character groups, determined from a collection of characters, depicted on a display screen, comprising:
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a. a display window on a display screen;
b. at least one segment within the display window associated with each character in a character group;
c. at least one action key for specifying the character group to display; and
d. at least one character selection key for each display window segment. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. A user operable system for the selection of characters, from a collection of characters, depicted on a display screen, comprising:
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at least one character entry group window depicted within the display screen;
selection indicating means, associated with the character entry group window, for indicating a character entry display window wherein each character in said character entry display window is directly associated with a character segment in said selection indicating means;
means for detecting the user selected character within said character group display window; and
means responsive to detecting the user selected character within said character group display window. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61)
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62. A user operable character selection and entry system for compiling characters into a text string of characters by selection from a displayed character group comprising:
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at least one character group graphic display window within the screen;
a selected character entry means wherein the character group display window is directly associated with a physical character entry key;
means responsive to detecting the user activation of a physical key;
means for detecting the user selection of a character group; and
means responsive to detecting the user selected character group.
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63. A user operable system for the multiplexed selection of characters, from a collection of characters, depicted on a display, comprising:
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at least one character group depicted in a spatial dimension on a display window of the system;
navigation means for alternately displaying, in a time dimension, one of a plurality of character groups selected from the collection of characters on the display window; and
means for detecting a user selected character within a displayed character group in order to output a signal representing the selected character.
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Specification